Court denies Ethan Crumbley’s request to dismiss ‘without parole’ condition

Posted at 3:57 PM, July 18, 2023

SOUTHFIELD, Mich. (Scripps News Detroit) — A judge has denied Ethan Crumbley‘s motion asking the court to dismiss the life without parole condition that is connected to his guilty pleas in the Oxford High School shootings.

crumbley and his attorneys, wearing masks, appear in court

Ethan Crumbley, wearing a mask and and orange jail attire, stands next to his attorneys in court. (Scripps News Detroit)

Crumbley asked to dismiss the condition in a motion to the court. He also asked for permission to dress in street clothes for his upcoming hearing. A third motion also asked the court the deny eyewitness testimony at his upcoming Miller hearing.

Both of those motions were also denied by Judge Kwame Rowe.

RELATED: Parents of Oxford school shooter to stand trial, Michigan Court of Appeals rules

Crumbley pleaded guilty to 24 charges, including one count of terrorism and four counts of first-degree murder, in last year’s deadly Oxford High School shooting, in October.

Tate Myre, 16, Hana St. Juliana,14, Madisyn Baldwin, 17, and Justin Shilling, 17, were killed in the shooting. Seven other people were injured.

The guilty plea eliminates the need for a criminal trial.

A first-degree murder conviction typically brings an automatic life prison sentence in Michigan, but teenagers are entitled to a hearing at which their lawyer can argue for a shorter term and an opportunity for parole.

The teenager withdrew his intent to pursue an insanity defense and repeatedly acknowledged that he understood the potential penalties.

This story was originally published on July 18, 2023, by WXYZ in Detroit, an E.W. Scripps Company.